A Dhaka tribunal today indicted Syed Mohammad Qaisar, a former state minister for agriculture from Jatiya Party, on 16 charges, including genocide, torture, murder and rape during the Liberation War in 1971.

Qaisar, now 73, formed a group named “Qaisar Bahini” with 500 to 700 men, who committed crimes against humanity in Habiganj and Brahmanbaria during the War of Independence of the country, according to prosecution.

He was also a commander of the Rajakars (an auxiliary group of then Pakistan) in the districts, the prosecution added.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2, headed by its Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan today fixed March 4 for the opening statement of the prosecution.

Qaisar who was produced before the tribunal pleaded not guilty after the court read out the charges against him.